Heating cabinet



Nov. 26, 1935. c. M. wooLLEY 2,022,333

HEATING CABINET y Filed July 7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l NOV 26, 1935 c. M. WOOLLEY HEATING CABINET Filed July "lJ 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. y26, l193.5

Clarence M. Woolley, New Yorh, N. Y., assigner to American' Radiator Company, New York, N. Y.,

a corporation of New Jersey Application July 7, 1934, Seal No. 734,083

12 Claims.

inets.

In my copending application Ser. #718,904, led April 4, *1934, entitled Air conditioning heating cabinet, I have s et forth and claimed a cabinet provided with heating means, and suitable air projecting means including a fan or equivalent operable -under stated conditions for projecting air in heat exchange relation with the heating means, inclusive of vrecirculating air of the room or otherspace served by the cabinet, a particular feature of the illustrated cabinet residingin the provision of a radiant face as a part of the heating means, -which radiant face is operative durl5 ing the stage of `non -opi-zration of the 'air prol jecting means as well as during the stage of operation oi' the air projecting means.

A particular feature of the present invention resides in the enclosing of theheating means wholly within the cabinet, that is to say, the cabinet is of the non-radiant front type,` theprimary heating effect of the cabinet being had during the stage of fan operation by projection of the air in heat exchange contact with the heating meansand during the stage of non-operation of the air projecting means by gravity, i. e., cqnvection-currents` engendered by contact-of air in its passage through the cabinet in heat exchange contact with the enclosed heatingmi'eans, suitable provision being made for openings in the cabinet,

for the inflow and discharge of theair in the respective stages of operation.

More particularly, the cabinet of my present invention embodies an opening or set of openingsadjacent alowerly portion of the cabinet,

preferably at its front, arranged to project heatedair during ythe stage of fan operation. My

cabinet embodies further an opening or set of openings in or adjacent its top effective in whole or in part" for the dischargev of air therethrough during the stage yof fan.v operation, the stated openings serving further for the inflow of air and the discharge of heated air during the stage of non-operationv of the projecting means.

The more preferred forms of my invention embody, further,`openings at the respective sides of the cabinet for the' recirculation therethrough of the'air of the room or other space served by the cabinet. f

' My inventionprovides, in addition when desired, A

the supply of fresh air `from the exterior atmosphere and/or the supply of'conditioned vair to the cabi`net,"the'same being mergedly heated with the aforestated air currents.

My present invention relates to heating cab- Further features and objects of the invention will be more fully .understood from the following ydetail descriptionand the accompanying drawings, in which 4 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet embody- 5 ing 'one type of my invention.

Fig. 2 .is 4a vertical sectional elevation on line'- 2--2 of Fig. 1. 1

Fig.` 3 is a vertical transverse sectional elevation on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. l0

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional elevation, similar to that of Fig. 3, but illustrating another embodiment of my invention. 1

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and also of Fig. 3, generally, at a corre- 15 spending section."

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional elevation illustrative of the vembodiment of Figs. 11 to 3 during the stage o1'l fan operation.

Fig. 7 is 'a diagrammatic vertical sectional ele- -20 vation illustrative of the embodiment of Figs. l to 3 during the stage of non-operation of the fan.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammaticvertical sectional elevation illustrative of theembodiment of Figs. 4 and 5 during the stage of fan operation. 25

' Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional elevation illustrative of the'embodiment of Figs. 4

and 5 during the stage of non-operation of the fan. v

Referring to the embodiment of my invention 30 as illustrated in Figs. l to 3, and generally in Fig. 4, the cabinet 2li, while shown of general rectangular form, may have any desired exterior. configuration, inclusive of such artistic eifect as may be preferred. 35

Within such cabinet 2 I provide suitable heat.- ing means 2l, comprising, for example, a pair of individual heating elements 21a and 2lb, suitably located in the forward channel 22, and further comprising a pair of individual heating ele- 40 ments 2|c and 2id suitably located in the rearward channel 23; such arrangement of heating elements is advantageous in affording the assem- .bly ofthe same as a unit.

The indicated respective heatingelements are 45 supplied with a suitable heating medium. As appears in the drawings, the heating medium may -be steam and the supply of such heating medium may be had by the employment of an inflow pipe 2 4, and appurtenant fittings, such as av control 50 valve 25, connected through the elbow 26 with a nipple 2l leading to an inlet header 28; an outlet headerA 29 is illustratedas connected to a nipplev 30' leading to an outflow pipe 3|.' Supplemental devices and/or attachments, as indicated in the 55 drawings, or pursuant to approved practice, applicable to steam or hot water or equivalent heating system may be employed as preferred. The respective heating elements and associated head- 5 ers are supported in any suitable manner, known `to those skilled in the art. Appropriate supply piping and supporting means for radiator elements and/or vgroup or Igroups 'of radiator elements applicable for steam as the heating medium, or equivalent type of heating may be employed, as wi11-be understood by those skilled in /the art.

l Any'other arrangement applicable to the provision lof suitable heating means eifective for the heating and transit of air through a suitable cabinet, pursuant to my invention, as will appear, may be employed.

Within the cabinet I dispose suitable means for projecting air in effective heat exchange con- 29 tact with the stated or equivalent heating elements for delivery of the heated air exteriorly of the cabinet.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 through Fig. 4, and diagrammatically shown in Figs. 6 and '1, such air v2li projecting means may comprise one or more fans 32, preferably disposed in suitable fan housings 33, each fan housing having one or more intakes 34, -and an outlet 35, see Figs. 3 and 4, each outlet communicating with the stated channel 23. De-

30 sirably, a pair of-fans 32, 32, see Figs. 2 and 3, driven by a common motor such as the electric .motor 36, by direct shaft connection as indicated,

or in othei'vsuitable geared relation, may hegem-l ployed. -Asappears more fully hereinafter, it is advantageous to locate such fans 32, 32 and the -motor 38 at a lower and rearward location within the cabinet. v Desirably, each fan'32 may be of the squirrel 40 cage type, although obviously any other suitable type of fan or equivalent air projecting device may-be employed.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 through Fig. 4, the inflow of airis aiforded by an opening 31, see Figs. 1, 2 and 3, preferablyin the top plate 20a of the cabinet 20. Such opening 31 may be provided with a grille, as indicated. Theair inowing through the opening 31 at the stage of air .projection is forced under sucltion by the air projecting means downwardly through the inflow channel 3.8 in transit to the intake .or intakes 34 of the fan or fans 32.

.Optimum heat distribution into the room or other space served by the cabinet is had by the 5s provision of an opening or set of openings 33, preferably provided -with a grille as indicated, located substantially adjacent to the iloor of the room or other space, thus aifording comfort to persons by the supply of heated air at and along the floor. Supplemental heated -air is supplied l by upward discharge from the cabinet, as appears more fully hereinafter, effective during the stage of fan operation, and also during the stage of non-operation of the fan. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, such lowerly disposed opening 33 may be substantially at the bottom oflthe front face plate 2lb of the cabinet 21|. Such openings 33 communicates with the stated forward channel 22 of the sub-casing within the cabinet.

The top plate 23a of the cabinet, as'appears from Figs. -1, 2 and 3, is provided with an' opening 48, which may also have a grille. Desirably a common grille 'may be employed for the stated openings 31, 43 of the topplate 23a.

'is Iflpreferred. and as indicated in the drawings,

a suitable lter 4| may be suitably located in the inflow channel 38 to filter the air iniiowing through the opening 31. Similarly, one or more filters 41a may be located at or within the/intake 34 of each fan housing 33. 'I'he grille 31 is read- 5 ily removable to afford access to the filter or iilters. i.

Desirably, the above stated inflow channel 33, and the stated rearward channel 23 and forward channel 22 of the thereby resulting sub-casing 10 are defined by suitable partitions or equivalent,

lcontoured to effect the desired air flow and efiicient heating of the air, as by means of a partition 42 which may extend from the margin, see 43, Figs.r 1 and 3, between the openings 31 and 15 the openings 40 in the top plate 20a, which partition portion 42 serves as a septum between the downward' inflow channel 38 and the upward flow channel 44 to discharge heated air through the opening 40. At its intermediate portion 42a, 20

see Fig. 3, such partition is generally concavely arcuate to serve as a septum between the intake of the downward inflow channel 38 and the rearward upflow channel 23 of the sub-casing; such arcuate portion 42a is of proper concavity and 25 extent of arc to function in deecting to desired proportion air projected by the stated air projecting means after subjection to the heating elements such as 21e, 2id, to provide a major air flow in subsequent heat exchange contact with 30 the forward heating means such as the heating. elements 24a, 2lb and thence downwardly through the forward channel 22 to be discharged .through the opening 33, the remaining proportion of the stated projected heated air current 35 being diverted by the septum 42a,upward1y through the upiiow channel 44 and discharged through the opening 40. The rearward partition portion 42b serves as a septum between the -maj or portion of the inflow channel 38 and the rear-40 ward upiiow channel 23 of the sub-casing. The

' Ilower partition portion 42e serves to define. the

bottom or lowerly portion of therearward upow channel 23, and also to denne the lowerly portion of the forwardfchannel 22. The thus resulting 45 sub-casing is closed by suitable side septa, as appears-from Figs. 2 and 4. a

'I'he partition 45 extends'from the stated lower partition portion 42e to and .desirably between rearward and forward heating elements; as illus- 50 Atrated in Figs. 2 and 3, such partition 4I extends between the forward heating element 2lb and the rearward heating element 21e.

Each outlet 35 of the, fan casing 33 passes through-a suitable opening inthe lower parti- 55 tion portion 42e, to thereby sealingly communicate with the rearward channel 23 of the stated sub-casing.

' Such septa or partition portion may be of sheet metal or other suitable sheet material. The 60 stated portions of the partitions may be separate and removable, suitably connecting nieans being employed. Such removable septum is particularly advantageous with respect to the stated septum 42e, to thereby afi'ord'access from the 65 front of the cabinet to the motor, its casing, and

also to the respective fans and their casings upon removal of the grille of the lower front opening 33 and the stated removable septum 42e.

Such accessibility is also advantageous in per- 70 mittng accessto the filters such as the filters 4Ia and for removal of dust and other foreign material isolated by the lters and otherwise accumulated within cabinet. Y

Fig. 6 indicates tically the paths-of 75 yly through the inflow the stated air flow during the stage of air pro-` jection through a cabinet of the character shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Specifically, the arrowed line 415v indicates the inilow of air downwardly through the upper opening 31, thence downwardchannel 38 and into and through the one or more fans 32; the arrowed line 41 indicates the upwardl flow ,of `the air through the respective fan housing openings 35 upwardly through the rearward channel 23 of the sub-casing in heat exchange contact with the rearward heating elements 2Ic, 2Id. The arrowed line 48 indicates the air flow deflected' under the control of the concave septum 42a downwardly through the forward channel 22 of the 4sub-'casing in heat exchange contact with the forward heating elements 2 la, 2 Ib, and thence discharged through the lower grille 39 downwardly toward the floor represented by the base line. The arrowed line 49 indicates the air flow diverted under control by the concave septum 42a through the upper opening 48.

Fig. 7 indicates diagrammatically the paths of vair flow during the stage of non-operation of the air projecting means through a cabinet of the character shown 'in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Specifically, the arrowed line 58 indicates the air entering the lower grille 39, thence passing through the forward channel 22 of the sub-casing. up-A wardly in heat exchange contact with the forward heating elements 21a, 2lb, and thence discharged through the upper opening 48.

Figs. 3, 6 and 7 also show the supplemental supply of fresh or conditioned air through the duct 5I regulated in any suitable manner by a suitable valve 52, similarly as in my aforesaid co-pending application Ser. #718,904. A knob is indicated at 52a, see Fig. 1, for setting the valve 52. The arrowed line 53 in Fig. 6 indicates the air flow of such form of air supply, the same merging with the air flow above referred to and indicated by the arrowed line 46 in its transit through'the inflow channel 38. In the circumstance of the supply of fresh ai from the exterior of the building, such duct may advantageously be located to extend through a window opening. Figs. 3 and 4 indicate such duct 5l projecting through the wall of the build- 'ing below a window sill 54.

Notation is made at this point that the supply of heated vair flow upwardlyv through the upper opening 48 of the cabinet, both during both stage of air projection as indicated by the arrowed line 49 in Fig. 6 and during the stage of non-operation of the air projecting means indicated by the arrowed line 58 in Fig. 7, counteracts at all stages of operation of the cabinet draftsif any may arise by reason of inflow of air from the exterior .of the building through the window or otherwise in the room or space served by the cabinet.

Fig. '1 illustrates incidentally the valve 52 of the duct 5I in closed position. In the event that the valve 52 is set in any open position, such air together with any air entrained through the opening 31 of the cabinet is drawn downwardly through the inflow channel 38, correspondingly as indicated by the arrowed line 46 in Fig. `6, thence passing through the fan housing, the fan or fans being idle, for which purpose a squirrelcage type of fan is advantageous by reason of its non-blocking characteristic when idle.

Humidity is preferablyV supplied to the heated air currents engendered in the use of my cabinet;

such supply of humidity may be had in any suitable manner.

' A convenient form of supply of humidity is in- -dicated in the drawings by a receptacle 55 which may be manually or otherwise filled with water 5 and/or other humidifying fluid through its filling opening 56 shown provided with a closure cap 51. In combination with a hot water or equivalent type of heating system, the humidifier is preferably supplementally heated by a suitable 10 electrieal, resistance unit. The circuit of such electrical heating unit is preferably controlled by l a mercoid switch 58 indicated in Fig. 2, or equivalent; the switch 58 is controlled by a float or equivalent responsive to thevlevel of the humidify'- l5 ing fluid, whereby uponiundue depletion of the fluid Within the receptacle 55, the rnercoid switch is thrown to its circuit-opening position to thereby discontinue the heating of the humidifier 55.

A preferred form of combined humidity-tem- 20 peratureand fluid level controlis set forth in mystated co-pending application Ser. #$718,904.

The embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and illustrated diagrammatically in Figs. 8 and 9, comprises essential parts in com- 25 mon with the embodiment shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3; these parts are designated by like reference characters. p

The embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5 comprises in particular the provision of openings 65y 30 preferably having grilles, as indicated in Fig. 5, disposed respectively in the opposite ends 28o of the cabinet 28, and desirably at lower portions thereof, effective for air infiow in re-circulation of the air of the room or other space served'bi thecabinetduring the stagefof fan operations.

A Simultaneously therewith, re-circulated air entering the upperopenings 31, see Fig. 4, is positively enforced by the air projecting means, which air flow, see arrowed line 66, Fig. 8, merges with the stated respective air flows through the end openings 65, thereupon .entering into and through the fan housings respectively, and projected thence through the fan-housing-openings 35 and upwardly through the rearward channel 23 of 45 the sub-casing in heat exchange contact with the therein disposed heating elements, see arrowed lines 41 and 48, Fig. 8, and eventually discharged through the respective openings'. 39, 48, under controlled relative proportions.

In the circumstance of open position of the valve 52 in the duct 5I, supplying freshor reconditioned air, such air ow, indicated in Fig. 8 by the arrowed line 53, merges with the stated air ilow 66. The essential air currents ensuing during the stage of fan operation, in this Fig.. 4-Fig. 5 type of my cabinet, correspond generally otherwise to those of my Fig. Z-Fig. 3 type, as appearsfrom a comparison of Fig. 8 with Fig. 6.

During the stage of non-operation of the air 60 projecting means, in my Fig. 4-Fig. 5 type, flow of re-circulated air under convection or gravity. current differential takes place by inow into the respective end openings 65, thence through the f an housings and thence upwardly through the rearward channel 23 of the sub-casing as indicated by the arrowed line 61 in Fig. 9, merging with the gravity current air flow indicated by the arrowed line 58, similarly as in Fig. 7 with respect to my Fig. 2-Fig. 3 type. 70

The septum 69, see Fig. 4, extends between the openings 48 and 31' of the top plate 28a of the cabinetto the deflecting plate 42a, to thus define the upper portion of the downward inflow channel 38 and the upward outiiow channel 44. 75

Cil

The partiallyextending septum 10, see Fig. 4, serves as a defiection to direct downwardly any air flow 53 supplied through the duct 5|, for an open position of its valve 52.

It will be observed that the supply of humidity, as by locating the discharge opening 55a of the humidifier withn or adjacent an upward dis- -charge channel, such as the channel 44, condensation of moisture within the cabinet and clouding of the discharged air currents are precluded during all stages of operation of my cabinet; also my present invention may be supplemented by devices and/or accessories such as sound absorbing lnings or equivalent for the duct 5I, upturned edge or eave serving to preclude the entrainment of rain for the duct 5|` when employed for supplying air from the outer atmosphere, and the like, similarly as in my aforesaid co-pending application Ser. #718,904.

The opening 31, as indicated at 31a, may 4be provided with a louvre or other form of shutter, operable by the use of the knob 31h, as -is indicated in Fig. 3.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specic forms thereof, it will be un- -derstood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The combination of a cab'net provided with a lowerly disposed opening, said cabinet having also an opening in one of its faces, said cabinet being further provided with anopening in its top, heating means disposed in the cabinet, partition means dening forward and rearward passages .in heat exchange contact with said heating means, and means for projecting air through the cabinet in heat exchange contact with said heating means and for discharging the thus heated air through said lowerly disposed opening of the cabinet, said opening in the top of the cabinet serving to discharge heated air during the stage of non-operation of the fan, said air projecting means being disposed below said heating means and commun eating with said rearward passage.

2. The combination of a cabinet provided with a lowerly disposed opening, said cabinet having also an opening in one of its faces, said cabinet being further provided with an opening in its top, heating means disposed in the cabinet, partition means defining forward and rearward passages in heat exchange contact with said heating means, conduit means within the cab-Tnet embracing said heating means, said conduit means communicating with said opening in the top of the cabinet, and means for projecting air through the conduit means in heat exchange contact with said heating means and forl discharging the thus heated air through said lowerly disposed opening of the cabinet, said air projecting means being disposed below said heating means and communicating with said rearward passage.

3. The combination of a cabinet provided with a lowerly disposed opening, said cabinet having also an opening in one side of its faces, heating means disposed in the cab'net, said heating means comprising a plurality of heating elements disposed in spaced relation to one another, conduit means within the cabinet embracing said heating elements in serial relation, and means for projecting air through said conduit means in heat exchange contact with said heating elements serially and for discharging the thus heated air through said lowerly disposed opening of the cabinet.

4. The combination of a cabinet provided with a lowerly disposed opening, said cabinet having also an opening in one of its faces, said cabinet being further provided with an opening in its top, heating means disposed in the cabinet, partition means den'ng forward and rearward passages in heat exchange contact with said heating means, and means for projecting air through the cabinet in heat exchange contact withsaid heating means and for discharging the thus heated air through said lowerly disposed opening of the cabinet, said opening in the top of the cabinet serving to discharge heated air during the stage ofnon-operation of the fan, said air projecting means including fan means disposed rearwardly and lowerly within the cabinet, said air projecting means being d.'sposed below said heating means and communicating with said rearward passage.

5. The combination of a cabinet provided with a lowerly disposed opening, said cabinet having also an opening in one of its faces, said cabinet being further provided with an opening in its top, heating means disposed in the cabinet, partition means defining forward and rearward passages'in heat exchange contact with said heating means, conduit means Within the cabinet embracing said heating means, said conduit means communicating with said opening in the top of the cabinet, and means for projecting air through the conduit means in heat exchange contact with sa d heating means and for discharging the thus heated air through said lowerly disposed opening of the cabinet, said air projecting means including fan means disposed rearwardly and lowerly within the cabinet.

6. The combination of a cabinet provided with a lowerly disposed opening, said cabinet having also an opening in one side of its faces, heating means dispose-d in the cabinet, said .heating means comprisng a plurality of heating elements disposed in spaced relation to one another, conduit means within the cabinet embracing said heating elements in serial relation, andmeans for projecting air through said conduit means in heat exchange contact w th said heating elements :eriallyand for discharging the thus heated air through said lowerly ldisposed opening of the.

a lowerly disposed opening, said cabinet having also an opening in one of its faces, said cabinet being further provided with an opening in its top, heating means disposed in the cabinet, partition means dening forward and rearward passages in heat exchange contact with said heating means, means for projecting air through the cabinet in heat exchange contact with said heating means and for discharging the thus heated air through said lowerly disposed opening of the cabinet. said opening` in the top of the cabinet serving to discharge heated air during the stage of non-operation of the fan, said air projecting means including fan means disposed rearwardly and lowerly within the cabinet, and means for supplying fresh or conditioned air to said conduit means, said air projecting means being disposed below .said heating means and communicating with said rearward passage.

s. The combination of a cabinet provided with also an opening in one side of its faces, heating means disposed in the cabinet, said heating means comprising a plurality of heating elements disposed in spaced relation to one another, conduit means within the' cabinet embracing said heating elements in serial relation, means for projecting air through said conduit means in heat exchange contact with said heating elements serially and for discharging the thus heated air through said lowerly disposed opening of the cabinet, said air projecting means including fan means disposed rearwardly and lowerly within the cabinet, and means for supplying fresh or conditioned air to said conduit means.

9. The combination of a cabinet provided with upwardly and lowerly disposed openings, said cabinet having also an opening in one of its ends, heating means disposed in said cabinet, partition means defining forward and rearward passages in heat exchange contact with said heating means, and means for effecting inflow of air through said end opening and for projecting air through the cabinet inl heat exchange contact with said heating means and for discharging the thus heated air through said first-named4 upwardly and lowerly disposed openings, said air projecting means being disposed below said heating means and communicating with said rearward passage. Y

10. The combination of a cabinet provided with upwardly and lowerly disposed openings, said cabinet having also an opening in one of its ends, heating means disposed in serially related chan'- nels within said cabinet, and means for effecting iniiow of air through said end opening and for projecting air through the cabinet in heat exchange contact with said heating means and for discharging the thus heated air through said first-named upwardly -and lowerly disposed openings.

11, The combination of a cabinet having an upwardly disposed opening, heating means dis-- posed in said cabinet, channel means defining forward and rearward passages Aand embracing said heating means in serial relation, means disposed lowerly inthe cabinet for effecting inflow of air through said opening and for projecting air serially through said passages of said channel means in heat exchange contact with said heating means and means for discharging the thus heated air from the cabinet, said discharging means including 'openings disposed lowerly and upwardly in the cabinet, said lowerly and upwardly disposed openings serving during the stage of non-operation of said air projecting means respectively for the inflow and outiiow of air currents through.v the cabinet through said channel means.

l2. The combination of a cabinet having an upwardly disposed opening, heating means disposed in said cabinet, a plurality of channel means embracing said heating means in serial relation, means disposed lowerly in the cabinet 25 for effecting inflow of air through said opening and for projecting air through said channel means in heat exchange contact with said heating means and means for dischargingthe thus heated air from the cabinet, said discharging 30 

